The Canadian Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a two-year contract extension, locking up the Vezina Award winner before he could become a restricted free agent.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had termed re-signing the 24-year-old Russian as his top objective but the two sides had made little headway until just before the start of the NHL draft on Sunday.

Acquired from Philadelphia for draft picks last summer, Bobrovsky blossomed in Columbus. He had a 21-11-6 record with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and four shutouts.

His stellar play fueled the Blue Jackets' 19-5-5 finish that brought them close to a playoff spot.

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I don't have a crystal ball. Predicting is a real complicated thing. If we stay healthy, have enough depth and get the good goaltending we think we're going to have, you can go all the way. But a lot of things have to happen. There's going to be a lot of teams that think the same thing. Everyone made deals. We're all are optimistic about where we'll end up.

— Rangers general manager Glen Sather after being asked if he's constructed a team that can win the Stanley Cup before their 4-1 win against the Predators on Monday